


Warm

by tiedyeflag



Category: Clockwork (Webcomic)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, cw secret santa 2015, sweaters with boob windows XD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 20:22:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9014650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiedyeflag/pseuds/tiedyeflag
Summary: A scientist and a ringleader are snowed in, so they get warm and cozy on the eve of the Winter Festival.
*aka a fluffy fic I wrote for the 2015 cw secret santa! Figured now would be a great time to share it!*





	

**Author's Note:**

> I cannot believe I forgot to post this on a03! Well, now's probably the best of all times to post it! This was for limey-blue-arty-do on tumblr, and they loved it! I hope y'all do too ;)

With a frustrated grunt, Christian pulled on the window, but it still would not budge. The window sill felt cold against his fingers, frozen shut. Gritting his teeth together, he banged his head against the glass, where all he could see was snow piled high. If he was outside, the snow would come up to his chin.

Furrowing his brows, he turned away, pacing in front of the unused fireplace. As his eyes focused on the rug below him, his mind raced with worry. Not for himself-he was safely snowed in inside his warm mansion-but for anyone stuck outside in that snowstorm. A _certain_ someone in particular.

“Gaz better have enough sense to stay inside or else…” Christian mumbled. Sitting on the couch, he huffed, trying not to imagine Gaz jumping across slippery rooftops in this weather.

_…thump, thump!!_

Christian bolted upright at the thumping coming from his rooftop over the muffled roar of wind. His stomach sank when he thought-no, knew-who was responsible for it.

“ _Gaz._ ”

Walking to the fireplace, Christian stuck his head up the dark, coal covered shute.

“GAZ, THAT BETTER NOT BE YOU!!!”

A pause, followed by a few more thumps.

“GAZ, CAN YOU HEAR ME?!”

This time Christian heard a voice from the top of the chimney. The echos of it and the wind made it difficult to understand, however.

“GAZ, IS THAT YOU?!”

A few crumbs of ash fell down in response. Christian jerked his head out before any could get into his eyes. As he brushed it off his face, more ash rained down, accompanied by a distant yelp. Two seconds later an entire cloud of black dust filled the room with a clumsy thud.

“ _Cough, cough_ -oh great, it’s on my glasses- _cough_ -” When Christian removed his dirtied glasses, he saw another figure coughing in the fireplace, coated in soot. Someone in a normally green trench coat and matching floppy hat.

“Gaz?!”

“Evening- _cough_ -S-scientist!” Gaz tipped the brim of his hat and smiled, his chattering grey teeth a stark contrast to his now black skin. “N-nice weather t-tonight, no?”

“Spare me the sarcasm and tell me what on earth are you doing out in this weather?” Christian implored as he brushed off his sleeves. “You could freeze to death out there!”

“I’m a busy man, Scientist, and what’s a little snow to the King of Rats?” Gaz hummed while getting to his feet. While he shook the ash from his hair, Christian noticed a large, lumpy burlap sack sitting next to Gaz’s feet.

“What’s that?”

“Oh this?” Gaz opened the sack. “Just taking advantage of the ‘holiday hospitality’ and gathering supplies for everyone in The Catacombs…” He continued as he rummaged through the sack.

“So did you decide to pop by and take advantage of my generosity, too?” Christian said with eyes half lidded in annoyance.

“That’s one reason, yes…” Gaz dug deeper into the sack, pushing past clothes, food, and money as he searched for a particular package.

“Then you’re gonna use the fact that you’re stuck here to-”

“What?” Gaz stuck his head out, eyebrows raised. “Stuck…?”

“We’re snowed in.”

Gaz’s heart sank to his stomach as he dropped the sack. “W-well…then I’ll just use the window like I always-”

“They’re all frozen shut, too.”

“Th-then I’ll climb back up the chimney!” Just as Gaz turned around to attempt so, Christian’s hand clamped onto his arm, stopping him.

“C-calm down, Gaz! Even if you could climb up there, you can’t go back out there!”

“Why not?” Gaz barked with the defiance of a spoiled child.

“You’ll freeze, and look!” Christian raised Gaz’s hand and caressed it between his own two hands. “You’re hands are like ice! At this rate you’d become a human popsicle!”

“Oh please, Scientist, I’ve been through far worse things than a little snow.” Gaz slipped his hand from Christian’s.

“Well, whether you like it or not, you’re stuck here.” Christian ran a hand through his hair as he mumbled, “With me…”

Gaz opened his mouth to speak, but his lips merely twitched with arguments that never came. No point in them now…Frowning, he plopped on the ground, crossed his legs, and hung his head. The King of Rats got himself stuck, but at least it was a warm, cozy place to be stuck.

Then he felt Christian’s warm fingers brushing against his stubble, and tilt his chin up. Gaz stared at Christian’s curious expression.

“What’s so important about leaving? You’re usually never in a hurry to leave me alone…”

Gaz smirked, and replied, “Think, Scientist, what’s tomorrow?”

“It’s…the Winter Festival.”

“Yes, and I’ve got to get _this_ ,” He pointed to the sack, “to The Catacombs by then so we can celebrate the best we can.”

“ _Oh_ …” Christian’s gaze fell, thinking of anything that could help. Some other means of escaping his mansion…into the merciless cold of a raging snowstorm. And Christian’s tender heartstrings couldn’t bear _that_.

“W-well…” Christian said, “I’m sure it’ll thaw out by tomorrow, so-”

“It’s not like I’ve got a choice,” Gaz shrugged; if he was hopelessly stuck, then he might as well make the best of it. “At least I get to wait out the storm with my favorite scientist.” He stood up. “I’m sure we’ll have _lots_ of fun ‘till then~”

At the suggestive tone, Christian blushed a rosy pink and stuttered, “U-uh, yeah, sure…”

“Now why don’t we get this night started by a nice, cozy fire?” Gaz dragged his bag of goodies away and kneeled next to the stack of logs near the fireplace.

“W-wait!”

Gaz froze at Christian’s outburst, and craned his head over his shoulder. “Why?”

“Th-there’s-um-errr, something you’re not s-supposed to see under there!” Christian stuttered, as if that sort of warning would keep Gaz away.

“You don’t say~?” He hummed, lifting the log with a wicked grin. His expression fell to confusion when he saw a small present with shiny green wrapping paper and a golden bow. Curious, he lifted it out of the log pile. His eyebrows shot up when he read the tag attached to it.

“Damn it…” Christian hissed under his breath. He sat on the couch as he mumbled, “It was supposed to be a surprise…”

“Well, it is a surprise.”

“Huh?” Christian saw Gaz stick the package under his arm as he rummaged through his sack.

“Yes; though I supposed I shouldn’t be that _you_ got me a present.” Gaz shot Christian a smirk. “One of these days, Scientist, your kindness will be the death of you.”

Rolling his eyes, Christian grunted and leaned back, refusing to look at the other. He jumped when he felt something fall into his lap with a crunch.

“Maybe _this_ will make you feel a bit better.” Gaz chirped as he plopped onto the couch next to Christian.

When Christian looked down, he found a particle wrapped in newspaper and tied with shabby string sitting in his lap. The words _To my scientist_ stared back at him in chicken scratch black ink. Eyes widening, his fingers gently grasped at it, feeling the gift; something plush and wooly beneath the cheap paper.

“Go on, open it!” Gaz nudged Christian with his elbow. “Then I’ll have a good excuse to open mine!”

“I…I-I can’t believe you of all people got me something.” Christian scratched his neck. “Honestly I…I’m touched-”

But he didn’t finish his sentence. Gaz was already impatiently shredding the expensive wrapping paper from his gift. When he finished, the remains were littered at his feet like confetti, colors matching the soft, woven scarf he held in his hands.

“Oh, so now we’ll match!” Gaz chuckled, fingering the fringe. “And I won’t become a human popsicle.”

“So you like it…?”

“Quite so… but I’d like it even more if you’d open yours.” He pointed at the present still in Christian’s lap, untouched.

“O-oh, right…” Christian undid the string, and the rest of the wrapping unfurled like a paper flower. His eyes widened at the red, woolen material folded neatly in the middle. Even though suspicion rang in the back of his mind, he ignored it and beamed at the sweater.

Until he held it up, however.

Confusion, realization, embarrassment, and finally annoyance crossed his face in chronological order before he whipped a glare at Gaz.

“You just _had_ to get me a sweater with a ‘boob-window’, didn’t you?”

“I saw it and thought of you~” Gaz grinned. “Now put it on!”

“What?! No way!!” Christian protested as he dropped the sweater like it was a venomous snake. “I’m not wearing this!!”

“Aw, you’re no fun…” Gaz huffed as he wrapped his new scarf around his neck. “Then how about wearing it tomorrow?”

“That’s even worse! I’m going out tomorrow and I can’t wear this in public!!”

“Either then or now, Scientist.” Gaz locked eyes with Christian. “And I’m not taking, ‘neither’ for an answer.”

Christian blushed as red as a holiday ornament, matching the wrinkled sweater in his lap. His eyes twitched from the sweater to Gaz’s unwavering gaze. Either wear the exposing top in front of Gaz, stuck in the privacy of his home…or out in real world, where every aristocrat in the kingdom would see him and laugh. Including Cog and Alex, who’d never let him live it down.

“Oh, fine!” Christian roughly grabbed the sweater and stomped away.

“Where are you going?”

“The bathroom! To change!”

“Bring back something hot to drink while you’re at it, okay?” Gaz hollered cheerfully. “Meanwhile I’ll start a fire!”

“You better not burn down my home!!” Christian yelled before he slammed shut the bathroom door.

* * *

An embarrassing change and two mugs of hot cocoa later, Christian found himself reclining against his couch in front of a roaring fire with Gaz next to him.

“So…” Gaz purred. “How do you like the sweater, Scientist?” He took a sip from his drink. “I personally think you look rather _ravishing_ in it…”

“It’s…comfortable…” Christian glanced away, blushing. Having his chest exposed didn’t make him feel any better, either. But aside from the revealing opening, the sweater was comfy, keeping the rest of him warm.

“That’s good to hear…” Gaz shifted closer, coyly playing with his new scarf.

“…Hey, Gaz?”

“Mm?”

“Can…” Christian rubbed his thumb nervously against the rim of his mug. “Can you promise me something…?”

“Depends.”

“Can you promise me you’ll wear the scarf tomorrow?”

Gaz nearly spat out his hot cocoa at such a meek request. “…that’s it?”

“Can you?” Christian looked at Gaz, eyebrows arched up hopefully. “Please?”

“Well, I was going to anyway, so of course,” Gaz nonchalantly shrugged. “…but why?”

“I don’t want you to freeze out there tomorrow! Why else?”

“Oh, I don’t know…” Gaz’s fingers tip toed along Christian’s arm. “Perhaps for some…ulterior motive~?”

Christian said nothing, taking a swig of his warm drink instead.

“Orrrrrrrr not.” Gaz’s twiddling fingers reached Christian’s neck, where they traveled to the other side, until Gaz’s arm was snuggly wrapped around Christian’s shoulders.

Gulping down his nerves and hot cocoa, Christian hesitantly leaned back into Gaz’s arm. A blush tickled at his cheeks as he did so.

“U-um…” Christian cleared his throat. “S-so, are you comfy? Toasty?”

“…very.”

Raising an eyebrow, Christian glanced over to Gaz at his uncharastically weak reply. He found the Ringleader staring at the burlap sack of supplies shoved to the wall, away from the fireplace. The sack that belonged in The Catacombs right now. The cold, freezing Catacombs with little food.

“…I’m sure Caelan and Alice are making sure everyone stays warm.”

Gaz flinched out of his trance. He stared at Christian for a brief moment, then sighed and laid his head onto Christian’s shoulder. Oddly Christian didn’t seem to mind, sleepiness catching up on him.

“I suppose you’re right…” Gaz murmured. “If not, then all I’m giving them is coal.”

“To stay warm?” Christian asked with a yawn.

Gaz chuckled. “They’d be no use to me frozen stiff.” He paused, waiting for some reply, but only got silence. Before he could raise his head, Christian’s drowsily fell on his. Gaz also saw Christian’s empty mug lying limp in his hand.

“…Scientist?” Gaz tapped Christian’s shoulder.

“Mm…?”

“…g’night.”

“G’night… _yawn_ …” Christian’s weight sank a bit deeper into Gaz. With a grin he shifted into a more comfortable position without waking Christian and shut his eyes. He drifted into sleep enveloped in the warmth from the fire, hot cocoa, and Christian’s body heat. The Ringleader didn’t dream of sugar plum fairies, but of making Christian wear the ravishing red sweater tomorrow.


End file.
